


From another time

by Himitsu_no



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: After endgame, Don't care, IW Loki, Loki is Loved, M/M, Out of Character, Thor is an awesome bro, Time Travel, a lot of dialog with little description, sorry I'm lame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-05-14 22:30:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19282486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himitsu_no/pseuds/Himitsu_no
Summary: “Come on, Bruce. You know I have to try.”“But Thor! No! You can’t go around messing with the past like that. We only did it because there was no other way!”“This is a situation in which there is no other way as well. I’ll just go back, grab Loki’s arm, and come.”“But you’ll create another reality.”“Is it not worth it, though? Would you not do it to save Stark, for example? And bring that man back to his wife and child?”“He can’t be saved, Thor. It was either him or everyone else.”“But what if…”“Thor…!”“Just hear me out, Banner. I have an infallible plan.”All fallible plans start with that sentence.





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

 

They’d been drifting through space with not a single clue of where to go or what to do next.

Thor lost track of how long it had been since Midgard weeks ago. Probably a couple of months that stretched to feel like ten years.

He would occasionally do this – stare out absently into the endless colors of the universe but, really, his mind could only think in shades of black and green.

 

His sigh was echoed by Quill’s, who just happened to be beside him. He looked bewildered for merely a second, then went back into his reverie.

 

“I miss Gamora.”, he heard. Rocket hummed in agreement and Mantis looked sad.

 

“I miss Loki.”, he whispered. Rocket sighed and Mantis looked even sadder.

 

“She’s out there somewhere, not knowing who we are. Who we really are.”, Peter added.

 

“Who are we, really?”, questioned Drax, to the other side of Thor. The god was startled out of his wits to find him there, idly chewing on a bar of whatever it was he loved to chew on that smelled like burned rubber. For a guy that big he was surprisingly stealthy.

 

“Well, I suppose she could be convinced to join us.”

 

“Gamora? Fat chance!”

 

“Worth the try. I’d try if my brother were still alive. I miss him every day.”

 

Quill turned to look at Thor and wished he had something to say to that. His love was gone, but part of who she was was still out there, and while he didn’t think it would be easy to change her mind to join a bunch of odd losers, there was still a shred of hope someday she would become somewhat close to the Gamora he loved again. (Though the odds of that Gamora falling for him again were even skimmer.)

 

His face suddenly lit up as it usually did when he had one of his infamous ideas.

 

“Dude!!!”, he said intelligently.

 

Everyone turned to him at once, but it was Thor who perked up most.

 

“If Gamora from the past came back into the present, who says you can’t bring your brother from the past as well?”

 

In the moment of silence that followed one could almost hear the gears in everybody’s brains turning and they all reached the same conclusion at once.

 

It was only going to take that same amount of indefinite time to get back to Earth.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Come on, Bruce. You know I have to try.”

 

“But Thor! No! You can’t go around messing with the past like that. We only did it because there was no other way!”

 

“This is a situation in which there is no other way as well. I’ll just go back, grab Loki’s arm, and come.”

 

“But you’ll create another reality.”

 

“Is it not worth it, though? Would you not do it to save Stark, for example? And bring that man back to his wife and child?”

 

“He can’t be saved, Thor. It was either him or everyone else.”

 

“But what if…”

 

“Thor…!”

 

“Just hear me out, Banner. I have an infallible plan.”

 

 

All fallible plans start with that sentence.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Before his eyes looked up from his feet, his nostrils were invaded by the reminiscent smell of home. He couldn’t explain what it was, but the air of Asgard seemed different, although that perception was probably tinged by his love of his homeland and the nostalgy invaded him at once as he stared at the high ceiling and the golden columns of the palace.

 

He couldn’t stop the smile of sheer adoration when his tired eyes laid on his brother, so young, soft hair short and slicked back. He wore his black and green armor as he had so many times, but as he prepared a ship to take flight, it was clear what he was about to do.

 

“Loki!”, Thor called, the name falling sweetly from his lips. “May I have a word?”

 

Loki startled and turned around to look at him, eyeing him strangely. “Thor?”

 

Thor smiled like a thousand suns, elated to see his brother again. It had felt like a lifetime apart, but now he was within grasp and oh, he wanted to reach out and touch him so badly. He smiled all the same, and there was no mistake to Loki this was his older brother.

 

“What in the Norns happened to you? I saw you not twenty minutes ago but you seem to have aged a century!”

Loki tilted his head, eyebrows slowly shooting up. “Unless you have.”

 

“I come from the future, brother!”, he announced, arms wide and grin impossibly face-splitting.

 

“What for…?” – not _how_. For all things Loki had seen and the things he was able to accomplish through seidr, it was not a matter of _how_ , indeed, but rather _why_.

 

His smiled faltered and his arms hung low. “For you, Loki. May I have a word with you elsewhere?”

 

“Actually, I was just about to… go somewhere.”

 

Thor smiled sadly, knowingly. “Jotunheim?”

 

“I—what?? No! Of course not!”

 

“Were you not planning on smuggling some jötnar to spoil my coronation, brother?”

 

Loki let out his breath. “How—”

 

“I’m not even mad, brother, but you should know nothing good will come out of it.”

 

“What—who—”

 

A part of Thor reveled in his speechlessness. A small triumph.  
“Come, let us talk.”

 

 

* * *

 

  

 

“That’s impossible. I’m not—I would never—”

 

“Loki. I was there. It all happened. And it all started tomorrow.”

 

“You’re lying. Tell me you’re lying.”

 

“Brother. It doesn’t change who you are to me.”

 

Loki shook his head, eyes welling up and nostrils flaring in anger.

“Lies. The Thor from the future learned to lie spectacularly. None of it is true.”

 

“It doesn’t sound like something Father would do?”

 

Loki smiled bitterly, an angry tear slipping before he could stop it. “It sounds exactly like something he would do.”

 

Thor wound his arms around him and he did nothing to stop it. In fact, he barely registered, white teeth clenched and hands curled into fists.

 

“I know this is hard to hear, but Loki… I am so glad they chose to raise you as their own. You were a terrible brother” – Thor laughed and Loki scoffed – “but so loved. I’m sorry I am the one to tell you this.”

 

“Why would you come all the way from the future just to break the news to me, if I was to find out soon on my own??”

 

The god of thunder let go of him and laid back against the headboard. His calloused fingertips traced the dark silks that covered his brother's bed and he contemplated on what to tell him, if the whole truth or just the most important bits.

 

“I am here because you died.”

 

The young man didn't seem shocked in the least. His eyes bore into Thor's, paying attention to every word and looking for signs of deceit. “How?”

 

Thor smiled mirthlessly. “Falling into space. And impaled in a spear by a ghastly monster in the service of Malekith. And, ultimately, in Thanos’ grasp.”

 

“Malekith?? From ancient tales, defeated by Bor many millenia ago? And Thanos, that purple dimwit whose chin looks like an alien’s balls, that Thanos?”

 

“Yes, well, don’t take him for granted. With a snap of his fingers he wiped out half the universe. He also, before that, took hold of your mind and had you do some pretty wild things.”

 

“Goodness, who did I bed this time?”

 

Thor scoffed. “If only it had been so mundane.”

 

He was silent for a moment. “Do you need proof?”

 

Loki sighed. “You’re telling me a lot. I’m not sure I believe any of it.”

 

Thor took his hand. It was cold, always so very cold, even in summer. It wasn’t until now that he realized why.

He kissed his palm affectionately and then brought it to his temple.

“See for yourself, then. Tomorrow, and the days after. And then a year into the future. That’s Jane. I wouldn’t have met her if you hadn’t schemed. If she hadn’t been looking for me she wouldn’t have found the aether and awakened Malekith. It was him that killed our Mother. You were imprisoned for your attack on Midgard and couldn’t bid her farewell.”

 

Loki’s pained expression melted into tears as he traveled through Thor’s memories, and they were filled with so much grief he wished he hadn’t delved in at all.

 

Thor sensed that and held his hand in place.

 

“Somehow you survived and seized the throne. That’s Hela. Her thirst for violence and subjugation led us to destroy our world.”

 

“ _We_?”

 

“Ragnarok was the only way to stop her. That’s us on the ship we stole from Sakaar.”

 

“What’s Sakaar?”

 

“A bad trip. A really, really bad trip. That’s when I met Korg and Miek. They seem useless but they are astonishingly good warriors. That’s Valkyrie. You didn’t get along at first, but nobody did, just the Hulk.”

 

“What’s a Hulk?”

 

“Trust me when I say you don’t want to get on his bad side.”, he smiled as images of his green friend flashed in his mind.

 

“Why would I or _anyone_ want to get on his bedside?”

 

“Norns, Loki!” Thor grimaced at the joke and he instantly remembered seeing him naked. Loki saw that too.

“Yikes, that’s just nasty!”

 

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. We left Asgard just in time with less than a hundred of our people aboard and we thought we were finally safe, until…”

 

“Thanos.”

 

Loki gulped and touched his throat with his free hand, feeling in his bones and heart the pain etched onto that memory and the days that followed. Days turned into years, and his absence throbbed in Thor’s mind.

 

He pulled back and took another look at his brother.

 

He had aged impossibly more than he'd think possible for the little time that had passed, perhaps because he merely by being in Midgard's atmosphere, or by the onset and the years of depression. Either way, he now saw Thor in a completely different light. “You’ve grown exponentially, brother. I barely recognize you.”

 

Thor smiled morose.

 

“What do you want me to do?”

 

“I want you to come with me.”

 

“What?”

 

“You heard.”

 

“But I—I—Thor, I can’t.”

 

“Why not??”

 

“Because! I can’t!”

 

“You can’t or you don’t want to?”

 

“I… Thor, I... I understand all of it, but I can’t. It doesn’t seem right. And if I really did all those things, why in Bor’s name would you want me by your side??”

 

“Because it wasn't really you. Not the real you! All those things... Everything you did was out of anger.”

 

“Oh, how long did it take you to figure that one out?”

 

“I wasn’t the best brother to you, Odin wasn’t the best father, Mother… Mother loved you with all her heart, but it wasn’t enough to make you feel like you belonged. You thought yourself to be a monster and you became one. I don’t want you to go through that.”

 

“Oh, is this the mighty Thor trying to shelter me?”

 

“Do you hate me, brother?”

 

“What?”

 

“How much do you hate me?”

 

“I… don’t. What are you asking??”

 

“You once told me you lived ‘in the shade of my greatness’. Is that how you really feel?”

 

Loki held his breath, searching Thor’s eyes for an answer he wouldn’t find there.

Even after all he’d done – in his future and Thor’s past – there was no hatred in his eyes for him. There was longing, there was insecurity. There was an immense amount of sadness and grief, and hurt, and so much pain. And the dying flicker of hope.

 

“Thor, look. I’m not who you’re looking for. The Loki I saw in your memories is not me. I’m not the one you should be rescuing, it’s the one who perished in Thanos’ grip.”

Thor swallowed a lump in this throat and stared down at his hands. _Yes_ , he agreed. It was true, but it would have been so nice to save that Loki – so young and innocent – all the heartache that would turn him into something he wouldn’t recognize himself. Sure, he’d had his fair share of mischief, but not the devilry he saw on Earth. That was Thanos’ doing. And all things that had lead to the end. He would love to save Loki from that grim future.

 

“Fear not, brother, the future from now on will be different.”

 

“Will it, though? How much longer will you bear to live like this? Will you not seek vengeance on Father?”

 

“ _Your_ father.”

 

“See? You’re starting to sound like him already. The relentless Loki that—”

 

“Well excuse me for not taking this to my therapist first, Thor!!", he yelled.  "What is a few dozen centuries of lies, anyway, right?? You will never know, always the golden prince. Flowers would bloom in your stride.”

 

Despite his anger, Thor took his hands and spoke softly to him. “They wronged you. They should never have lied, and they should never have treated you differently. I should have treated you better, too, and I am so, so sorry, Loki. But if they hadn’t taken you in, you wouldn’t be here. I would have never met you.”

 

Loki still looked like he could spit fire and venom, but he couldn’t stare his brother in the eyes. He withdrew his hands and got up from his bed.

 

“You must go.”

 

“Are you not coming?”

 

“I am not.”

 

“What will you do now?”

 

Loki shrugged.

Thor nodded slowly and got up.

 

“Time to say goodbye, then. Give us a hug?”

 

The younger man was reluctant but yielded, stepping towards him slow and shy. Thor held him close and tight, like he hadn’t in five long years. And centuries before that. Loki’s arms snaked around his back and held him as tight as he could muster.

 

“Thank you, Thor.”

 

“I love you, Loki. More than you will ever know.”

 

Loki hid his wet face in the crook of his neck, wishing he could stay like this so much longer.

 

It was Thor who broke the hug, detangling their arms just the slightest and bumping their foreheads together, his breath warm on Loki’s perpetually cold cheek. “So, so much. Never forget that, okay? That I came all the way from the future just so you’ll never doubt it.”

 

Loki nodded and shut his eyes, tears falling free.

 

Thor wiped them with his thumbs and then at his own with the palm of his hands.

 

“Farewell, brother.”

 

He held up his wrist and set a new date on the watch-like device. One last look at his brother and-

 

“Thor, wait!”

 

For a moment the blonde’s stomach coiled into hope and anticipation.

 

“How does it work? How did you come here?”

 

He showed him the Pym particles and briefly explained what he understood of the contraption.

 

“Do you have enough to go back to your own time?”

 

Thor looked at him and thought of Stark, and his heart fell.

“No.”

 

Loki smiled. “Consider this my gift to you.”

With a wave of his hand and barely any effort, Thor’s hand was filled with far more particles than he would need.

“Perhaps someday you can take your future me to visit Mother, as I doubt she would agree to go anywhere else, too.”

 

Thor hugged him tight. “You’re not that bad a brother, are you.”

 

Loki smiled. “Just a bit.”, he whispered.

And a moment after Thor was gone, “I love you too.”


	2. Chapter 2

When Thor opened his eyes again, he was aboard the Statesman.

 

He looked around the familiar ship and his heart ached at the memories.

 

Relief, joy, affection.

 

They had finally escaped Hela and made out into space safely, in a ship with enough food and potable water to last his people twelve days. He remembered distinctively thinking he would think about that later, while he took a moment to rest.

 

  
Reconnecting with that little devil of a brother had been a precious moment as well, the warmest of hugs to sate a longing they hadn’t realized lurked deep within their souls.

 

It was Loki who walked towards him and smiled, and it was Thor who pulled him close and against his chest for long, long minutes. Their hands would move in their own accord, touching the other's hair, stroking their back and gently caressing each other where they rested. It felt like peace, and it felt like home. The soft words of amity and the promise of brighter days that never came.

 

Too soon, the bone-chilling fear, the pain and sheer grief of seeing their people slaughtered, of Heimdall’s last breath.

 

And Loki.

Adored, beautiful Loki. Insanely annoying but oh _so_ loved.

 

 _“He’s been dead before”_ , he’d told Rocket, tucking away the hope he’d show up with a less-enthused ‘ta-daa!’ when they least expected.

 

Five years had gone by and reality eventually sunk in, pulling him along a downward spiral of sorrow.

 

Thor shook those thoughts away and his eyes met Heimdall’s.

 

He knew. One look at Thor and Heimdall could see through all of his pain and what brought him here. He knew what was to come, and Thor briefly wondered if he took Loki away – with the Tesseract in tow – Thanos would still attack their ship, and if his people would be safe in this reality. He dared hope so.

 

When he finally saw Loki, the latter's reaction wasn’t much different from his younger self.

 

“What in the Norns happened to you? I just saw you and now you—”

 

Loki looked at Heimdall, then at Thor, then back to Heimdall. “Did you—”

 

Heimdall shook his head, _no_.

 

But he was quick to catch on.

 

“What brings you here, brother dear?”

 

“You, actually.”

 

Thor stared at him for a long moment, taking in the sight of his beloved as he'd last seen him. His look puzzled Loki. 

"What did I do now?"

 

Ignoring his question, Thor put both hands on his shoulders and squeezed them. 

 

"Gods, I've missed you. It's so good to see you again. I didn't think I'd see you again."

 

"What... happened?"

 

Thor glowered. 

 

"Thanos happened. You charged at him with a small knife, but he is much too strong with the stones. You stood no chance and I could do nothing but watch."

 

"The Infinity Stones?? Thanos has them?? That titan is mad!"

 

"And he is coming fast. We must go."

 

“I’m afraid I can’t, I am to help my brother from this time handle our people and the settlement in Midgard.”

 

“If you stay on this ship, that will never happen. We must leave immediately.”

 

“What?”

 

“He is coming for the Tesseract and you’ll give it away in order to save me. Honorable, but stupid.”

 

“The Tesseract??”

 

“Don’t make me for a fool, Loki, I know you have it. It’s fine, I’m not mad.” – something he had to constantly reassure him, it seems – “As a matter of fact, it will be very useful soon. Now let's get you out of this ship before you endanger everyone.”

 

Loki did not reply, merely nodded and asked what he was to do. He held onto Thor’s arm and bid Heimdall farewell.

 

“Thank you for everything, my friend. I hope to hear from you in five years.” Thor smiled as they disappeared.

 

 

* * *

 

 

In the blink of an eye they were both at the Avengers facility, face to face with a tamed version of the Hulk. This time around, Loki and Banner didn’t fear each other.

 

“I presume everything went according to plan?”

 

Thor made a noise. “Ehh, more or less, I guess.”

 

“Thor, what do you mean?”

 

“I may have traveled twice and still have to get back for one last mission, so… there's that.”

 

“Three new realities, Thor?! Are you kidding!??”

  
“Weeeeeell, for what it's worth, I’d say they’re even better realities. No bad-guy-Loki going Berserk with the Chitauri in the first, Asgardians alive and well in the second, and I will baaaarely make any changes, to be honest. I’ll just... get him out.”, he said off-handedly.

 

"Oh come on, the Chitauri were fun.", Loki joked.

 

The Avengers ignored him. “Oh my God, Strange is going to kill us!!”, fretted Bruce.

 

Thor waved his hand dismissively and turned to his brother. “The Tesseract. Can you take us to Wakanda?”

 

“What in the bloody Hel is Wakanda?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Brother, Shuri. Shuri, this is Loki."

 

"Loki? Isn't he the one that destr-"

 

"Not anymore." Thor nodded toward her "Tell her, Loki."

 

Loki didn't say anything, only stared at the girl bemusedly.

 

Thor rolled his eyes and turned to his brother, shaking him by the arms.

 

“Listen well, brother. No tricks, no mischief. Nothing. You just stay here and wait. I need to know I can trust you."

 

“I could promise, but I suspect that would mean very little.”

 

“I will need you to assist Shuri with your healing seidr as soon as we get back, do you understand?”

 

“Of course I understand, Thor, I'm not a moron! Wait, who is _we_?”

 

Thor smiled lopsided. “You’ll see.”


	3. Chapter 3

He arrived at just the right time, in the heat of battle. Thanos was preparing to snap his fingers again and everyone panicked.

 

“I am… inevitable.”

 

Everyone but Tony Stark.

 

And Thor, who dashed through the air and seized his other self to charge towards Ironman.

 

“And I… am…”

 

All the Avengers held their breath. Stephen Strange couldn’t move. This was their one chance in fourteen million possibilities of failure.

 

“…Ironman.”

 

Thor grasped Tony’s hand and battle Thor quickly took the cue and grabbed his hand.

 

The immensurable energy from the stones scorched Stark from his fingertips to his shoulder and shook his entire body incandescent like flames burning him alive, all the way to where his hand met Thor’s, traveling through the God of Thunder twice.

 

They screamed in agony and as soon as it started it ended, and it hurt like death.

 

They fell to the floor and the world around them started to change, their enemies blowing away in embers.

 

Tony breathed heavily and with grand difficulty, but he breathed. He lived. The Thors looked at each other and laughed, battle Thor marveled at his other self.

 

Thanos sat and stared desolate at the slow destruction of his army and his defeat. His hiss of pain and sudden howls of agony drew everyone’s attentions.

 

Knives flew and perforated his armor and ripped through his flesh.

 

“ _No resurrection this time._ ”, Loki mocked his voice. “Oh, please. I am a god, you imbecile!”

 

“Loki!”, future Thor hollered.

 

His brother grinned. “Guess I hitchhiked?”

 

Clint drew an arrow and was ready to let go, but the Hulk stopped him. “He’s not a foe.”

 

Battle Thor gasped. “Brother!! You live!!”

 

Loki put his arms up and braced himself for the impact of Thor lunging at him. “Did I not promise? The sun is shining, brother!”

 

Thor cried audibly as he hugged his long-lost brother, the years without him and the guilt of his death crashing replaced by his very presence in his arms. Loki let himself be hugged and reciprocated with affection, releasing an embarrassing yelp when the other Thor hugged him too.

 

“Nope, never fantasized about this at all.”, he smirked and licked his lips in amusement. “Not in the least, ever. Carry on.”

 

“Are you sure?”, Clint asked.

 

“He’s an ally.”, said the Valkyrie, and Hawkeye frowned at her. Another one he’d never met.

 

Drax joined in the hug and put his arms around both Thors.

 

“Ok, now this is getting weird.”, said Loki.

 

Mantis joined and sobbed loud. Rocket climbed on Drax and ruffled Thors’ hair.

 

“So this is the devilish little brother Thor wouldn’t shut up about!”, said the racoon with endearment.

 

“In flesh and broken bones. Yeah, ok, boys and girls, starting to hurt here.”

 

He was solemnly ignored as Quill, Parker and Hulk joined the mess of limbs and laughter.

 

Loki said nothing else, using his seidr to keep a smile on his face while he cried and cried and cried from the overwhelming feeling of being loved by so many.

 

No fantasy in all known realms could compete.

 

When the crowd let go, he remained attached a while longer to his brothers. Battle Thor weeped on his chest while the other stroke his shoulder in understanding. He’d come in to rescue Stark, but now that the war was over with, he could take the time to heal his old self.

 

Meanwhile, the others started to attend to the wounded and talked excitedly amongst themselves. Strange retrieved the time stone and started carefully rebuilding their headquarters.

 

Peter Parker cheered enthusiastically. “This is so cool!!! Two Thors!! And a zombie!!”

 

“Excuse me?? Do I look dead to you??”

 

“N-no, mister Loki.”

 

“The nerve of this kid!”

 

“It’s just, I... I heard mister Skylord say you were dead before and now you’re not.”

 

“IT'S STARLORD!”, yelled Quill. 

 

 _What a bunch of idiots_ , he thought, trying not to snicker.

 

The older Thor stood and nudged Stark, who was still resting on the ground clutching his arm. “We need to get going.”

 

“Where to?”

 

“Home.”

 

Battle Thor released Loki but didn’t pull away. His hands ran through his hair then cupped his face, kissing his forehead multiple times and nuzzling their noses together. “Be well, brother. I’ll miss you still.”

 

Loki smiled and briefly held his hand. “I will.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Shuri inspected Tony’s arm and noted, “I thought he’d be in much worse shape.”

 

“Thor and Thor took the brunt.”, Loki offered as he worked his magic to heal small cuts and contusions. He knew the tech available in this place would take care of that effortlessly, but he wanted to prove to the Ironman he was an ally.

 

Tony watched him work in silence most of the time, thinking of the stark difference from the Loki he’d met years prior. He was almost gentle now, and it was hard to believe a man could change so much in a few years, whereas most people would stay the same their whole lives. Perhaps what happened after Thanos’ death affected him in more ways than anyone could have imagined.

 

He was too proud to thank a former enemy, so instead he made an impressed face and praised, “That is seriously cool!”

 

Loki smirked. “I’m almost done, stay still.”

 

“Sorry, I gotta pee.”, he wiggled.

 

“That I did not need to know, thank you.”

 

“Don’t mention it.”

 

To Thor, he said “Hey, Point Break. Thank you.”

 

The blonde smiled.

 

Morgan wouldn’t cry to sleep anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

As Tony’s wounds didn’t require he stay in Wakanda, Thor offered to take him home.

 

“I have a safer option”, Loki showed the Tesseract.

 

“You’re not leaving me on the Moon just for a laugh, are you?”

 

“I was thinking Mercury, actually.”

 

“Lokii...” Thor warned.

 

 “Did the gauntlet burn only your neurons or also your sense of humor?”

 

Thor rolled his eyes.

 

“I’ve had my fair share of space, thank you,” said Stark.

 

“So where to? That godawful tower in New York?”

 

“Can you go someplace you’ve never been to just by thinking about it?”

 

“Not quite... unless you have a very clear image of it.”

 

“Can I try it myself?”

 

“If you don't want to get burned again, no.”

 

“Not with my bare hands, you twit.”

 

Loki handed him the Tesseract and Tony held it with his nanotech Ironman glove and closed his eyes.

 

He blinked, and they were in his front yard.

 

Morgan heard a sudden breeze and a flash, and turned from her dolls to see three men standing a few feet away.

 

“Daddy!!!” she yelled and ran towards him, jumping on his legs.

 

“Oh no, he bred”, whispered Loki to his brother. Thor pushed his shoulder hard.

 

“Ow, you brute!”

 

The front door flew open and Pepper ran to Tony as well, enveloping him in a strong embrace.

 

“Our work here is done,” Thor told Loki.

 

“Stay for dinner, I wanna hear all about how you saved the day. You too, Rock of Ages.”

 

Loki looked apprehensively at Thor, who reassured him it’d be fine.

 

Pepper wiped her tears and frowned. “Isn’t that…?”

 

Tony waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, he’s a softie now.”

 

He wasn’t stranded in Mercury, after all…

 

 

* * *

 

 

When they heard the news, one by one the Avengers appeared at his front door. The table initially set for five wound up accommodating sixteen, with food being delivered in a hurry from all over the city.

 

They all chatted excitedly, Parker sitting next to Tony hogging his attention as he often would, but the latter wouldn’t mind. He saw in him one of his own children, and Peter very much felt like he was. Morgan sat on her father’s lap and clung on his arm, making her own witty remarks from time to time.

 

The door opened once again to Natasha Romanoff escorting an elderly Steve Rogers, who walked with much difficulty but a broad and proud smile on his face.

 

“Tony.”

 

Tony Stark’s face went from content to shocked, to overwhelmed. “I thought you were dead.”

 

“I’m only old, don’t be insensitive!”

 

He hugged Nat tight, and held her there for long minutes.

 

“I found this one in Vormir. A soul for a soul,” he explained.

 

Nat’s smile vanished when her eyes spotted Loki, and she tensed.

 

He held his hands up.

 

“Nat, don’t go around scaring my guests, that’d be rude.”

 

“Guest?? Loki-”

 

“…was brainwashed into doing some terrible things, but it’s all in the past,” Thor countered.

 

“By whom!?”

 

Tony looked at Loki for a moment, then at Nat. “Thanos. I’m not saying this guys is harmless, but tonight he is a friend. Right, Loki?”

 

Loki looked Nat in the eyes and from one of his hands flowed bright green energy. When she expected him to draw a knife, he produced a cup and drank from it. “Yes. Tea?”

 

Thor bonked him on the head. “Quite fooling around, brother.”

 

Loki scoffed. “Where’s the fun in that?”

 

“Hey, can you make a balloon pup for Morgan? God, she loves those.”

 

Loki drew a dagger.

 

People gasped.

 

Then, he made a balloon.

 

Everyone looked confused.

 

He popped the balloon and it turned into a small and green seidr dog, yapping and growling.

 

“Like this?”

 

Morgan squealed and picked up the puppy.

 

A grin. “Don’t hate me, you asked for it.”

 

Stark sighed exaggeratedly and promised to get him back for it, then told Morgan they wouldn’t be able to keep it but she could play with it, to which she whined.

 

 

 

“Isn’t there a warrant for Loki’s arrest somewhere?”, asked Hawkeye, eyeing him carefully.

 

“Friday’s taken care of that.”

 

“I’m curious, though,” Natasha intervened. “How did you go from that lunatic to… puppies?”

 

“Well, I’ve always liked puppies.”

 

“No, you didn’t.”

 

“Yes, I did!!” – an eyeroll – “Anyway. After I fell from Asgard, I wound up in Thanos’ hold for an insurmountable amount of time. The things he did…” – a pause. “He… amplified, distorted and misdirected my hatred for Odin towards Thor and Midgard. We all know what happened after that. Hulk… broke me out. But I was never the same after that… Until Odin’s death set Hela free and that girl is _bonkers_. If you think me devastating, you would not like to meet our sister.”

 

“What a messed up family!”, weighed Peter.

 

“Quite. Fighting for Asgard beside Thor, was… I started to feel like myself again," he turned briefly to look at his brother's eyes and thought he'd seen a shiver. "We were on a stolen ship on our way here with our people when Thanos intercepted us and killed almost everyone, including me. Thor went back in time and got me out before he arrived.” Turning to Thor, he concludes. "For that, brother dear, I am forever in debt to you.”

 

“I’m not keeping scores, Lo.”

 

“You never do, but I am." To the other Avengers he promised, "I reckon my reputation is that of betrayal, but I am willing to cooperate with you all if you’ll have me.”

 

Rogers crossed his arms in front of his chest and questioned, "As one of us, or as a benevolent god?"

 

"One of you, surely."

 

Captain America made a small noise of approval.

 

Tony clapped. “See? Good puppy. I like this guy when he's not trying to kill us and enslave humanity!”

 

“Hey, mister Loki, I have a question!”

 

“Go on, Spiderchild.”

 

“It’s S-spiderman, mr. Loki.”

 

“I know. What is your question?”

 

“How did you do that? The knife and and and the dog? That was really sick!!”

 

“It’s called seidr. Ancient Asgardian sorcery.”

 

“Loki’s an astounding sorcerer,” beamed Thor.

 

“I am. Though Thor has his tricks too, like changing his outfit for battle.”

 

“Like Sailor Moon?”, asked Morgan, very interested in the conversation while holding the green seidr puppy.

 

“Exactly like Sailor Moon. Wow. Good call, Morg!”, replied Stark.

 

“It is not like Sailor Moon!”, exclaimed Thor, offended. “What is Sailor Moon?”

 

“Whatever Sailor Moon is… it’s quite convenient.”  With a wave of his hand, Loki changed into a dark green robe embroidered with gold and knee-high boots, his hair combed to one side and bearing tiny braids on the other. It was one of the few outfits he wore when we wanted to woo someone. “While he didn’t bother to go past his very limited wardrobe, mine is pretty impressive, if I may say so.”

 

“He healed some of my cuts and bruises as well.” Tony said. “It was pretty cool.”

 

Loki gave him a small smile.

 

“Coolest Avenger ever!!!”, called an overexcited Peter. “No offense, mr. Stark. And miss Captain!”

 

Carol Danvers measured Loki from head to toe. “Is it true you can shapeshift into anything you want? Like a Skrull?”

 

“Yes, though I'm incredibly more attractive.”

 

“So you could turn into a horse if you wanted to?”, she continued.

 

Loki did not like where this conversation was heading. “I… supposed.”

 

“Is that a yes?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“So… is it true you bore an eight-legged horse?”

 

“Whoa, too much information!” – Sam laughed.

 

“Morgan, let’s go fetch more soda.” – demanded Pepper.

 

“Mister Loki!? H…how??” – said Peter.

 

Loki was flustered all the way to his ears and down his chest. “Who  _told_ you that!?”

 

Carol shrugged. “It’s one of those things everyone in the universe has heard from someone else.”

 

Loki scoffed.

 

“Well?”

 

“I… no. It was a Loki from another dimension, but...”

 

“Whoooooooa!!!” – yelled Rogers, covering his eyes. “Unsee, unsee!!”

 

“It was for a good reason, he was trying to- It wasn't... It wasn't me!”

 

“Stop, stop, stop!”, yelled Rogers and Rhodes in unison. Nat snickered.

 

“That’s nasty, but I wouldn’t expect much from you,” mumbled Hawkeye into another bottle of beer.

 

Loki squinted at him menacingly.

 

Stark intervened. “I have to agree you crossed some lines there, bro, but hey, _Nat_ , tell us all about your alien adventures on the island of I’ll-Never-See-You-Again!”

 

Nat smiled coyly and started her tale, drawing everyone’s attention, specially Clint’s.

 

Loki and Thor looked at each other and discreetly smiled, with Thor’s pressing his shoulder gently. “It wasn’t so bad, was it, witch?,” he whispered.

 

“Stop calling me that.”

 

Thor grinned and murmured near his ear, “Witch.”

 

Loki turned and eyed him carefully, a strange glint in his brother’s eyes. “Are you alright?”

 

“Splendid.”

 

 

 

 

The following morning Valkyrie kicked the siblings awake on their spot near the fireplace, “Party’s over, boys. Time to head home.”

 

New Asgard awaited their King and Prince.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this story keeps running away from me with its own ideas, there might be another two chapters. Sorry not sorry?


	5. Chapter 5

Loki woke to a nagging pain on his shin and peeled one eye open to find Valkyrie smirking down at him.

He sighed and allowed his mind to slowly return to consciousness. There was a sharp pain in his head and the weight he felt on his chest was Thor, thick arm swung over him and hot breath against his hair. His beard was itchy against his face and it made him feel funny; it wasn’t entirely pleasant nor did annoy him enough to stab his brother.

“Thor, wake up.” He nudged, at first gently, and then more firmly, almost enough to hurt.

Thor hummed sleepily against him and his lips moved against his ear. “Just a little longer, witch.”

Loki shivered in spite of himself, pushing away from Thor. “What the hell, just wake up!”

Thor squinted an eye open in drunken slumber. “What?”

“Wake up, you dimwit. You’re drooling all over me!”

He wasn’t, but it just caught Loki off-guard and he didn’t know what else to do about the sudden rush of blood to his face. He iddly thought something had to be wrong with him if he was blushing so easily around people he wouldn't want to let his guard down. Mostly because they would mock him endlessly.

“Sorry, brother.”

It took Thor a moment longer than it used to to maneuver his body off the floor. He cracked his joints noisily and tried to look minimally presentable by taming dirty unkempt hair with chubby fingers. “I need beer.”

Loki glared.

“Or coffee. Coffee will be good.”

“I’ll have the beer, then,” shrugged the Valkyrie.

 

* * *

 

 

They joined Stark’s family for breakfast and chatted with the Avengers that hadn’t left. 

“Where’s the Spiderchild?” asked Loki.

Tony smiled at the nickname. Though the god would never admit to it, it was obvious he’d taken to his protégé. “He left an hour ago with the wizard. Physics finals.”

Loki frowned. “I thought he looked young but didn’t figure he was _that_ young.”

“Yup, that’s Baby Avenger. Graduates in a couple of months.”

There was a tint of pride in his voice that didn’t go unnoticed by everyone at the table, except Morgan.

She was busy playing with Gerald, the alpaca. Yes, they had an alpaca. Yes, a real one, and no, not a piñata. Yes, I am sure.

 

As soon as they finished the meal, the Valkyrie urged them to leave for New Asgard.

Loki offered the tesseract for quick transportation, and in a cloud of smoke they disappeared.

 

A ragged kingdom awaited them.

 

* * *

 

 

FOUR MONTHS LATER

 

It was still early in the morning but Thor, Loki and Valkyrie were already gathered around the kitchen table in Thor and Loki’s cabin arguing noisily about last-minute details and the issues that had arisen for the upcoming festival in two days’ time.

Loki was passionately defending that they should save on resources otherwise they’d be short on supplies too soon, while smearing an incomprehensive amount of apricot jam on a small bun. He stuffed it in his mouth and was about to disagree with Valkyrie when he stopped dead on his tracks and turned towards the corridor.

Thor noticed and asked, “What?”

Loki frowned. “Someone’s at the door.”

Thor furrowed his eyebrows and looked between his brother and Valkyrie, who shrugged, and tried to understand why he seemed so bothered. “Okay…”

Loki swallowed his snack and looked Thor in the eyes. “He’s here.”

Valkyrie thought him strange, too. “He, who? Are you okay?”

Then, there was a knock on the door. Soft, barely audible, hesitant.

Thor swung the door open to reveal a ghost.

Loki.

Clad in a long white robe, with tiny white flowers adorning his hair like a crown. Dark curls fell down his shoulders all the way to the middle of his back, small neat braids flashing here and there. 

He was breathtaking, and knocked the wind out of Thor.

“Hello, brother.”


	6. Chapter 6

Thor swung the door open to reveal a ghost.

 

Loki.

 

Clad in a long white robe, with tiny white flowers adorning his hair like a crown. Dark curls fell down his shoulders all the way to the middle of his back, small neat braids flashing here and there.

 

He was breathtaking, and knocked the wind out of Thor.

 

“Hello, brother.”

   

Thor reached out and touched his cheek, thumb brushing over thin lips. His wan, velvet skin was cold and his breath chilly. To anyone else it would seem like a dead man breathing, but Thor smiled. It was as if he’d never left, but the way his heart beat wildly through his veins told him just how much he had missed him.

 

“I thought I’d lost you for good this time.”

 

Loki smiled uneasy. So different from his former self...

 

“I did too. May I come in? I’m not in the mood for a crowd.”

 

For the first time Thor noticed the people around the village had stopped whatever they were doing to watch, puzzled, the interaction between the two princes.

 

“Of course”, he mumbled as he stepped aside.

 

Once inside, though, he looked as delighted as Thor felt. Without asking the other for permission, they both went in for a warm hug.

 

The two Lokis looked at each other for the first time, the five-years younger frozen to his spot, bun still in his hand as he eyed the other like a deer caught in headlights. He had done nothing wrong this time, but he almost seemed… afraid. Older Loki smiled – he held no threat.

 

Loki broke the hug gently and smiled at his brother. “Hello.”

 

“Hi,” he breathed. Thor knew they were mostly the same, but he also knew their five years apart had changed them somehow.

 

Perhaps that was why younger Loki seemed so anxious.

 

Was there room for him, now that the _original_ Loki was back?

No, wait – he was just as “original” as him. So who was the _real_ one? They were both, surely. But what would that mean?

 

The Loki in long hair approached the other and smiled, enveloping him in a tight embrace. He felt the other shiver and come undone, as if relief had washed over him and somewhere inside pieces of his broken soul inched closer together. “Thank you for taking care of our brother and people. You’ve done far better than I would have thought possible.”

 

“But you don’t even know-”

 

“You’re here. That’s all I need to know.”

 

Indeed – Loki himself never thought he’d spend so long with his brother anymore without trying to kill him or flee. Maybe there was a sense of responsibility with the Asgardian families that made him feel necessary. And maybe he felt loved.

 

Finally in a place where he belonged.

 

Of course there would always be room for him.

 

“How did you survive?”, Thor asked.

 

“I wouldn’t be the best sorcerer in the Nine Realms if I didn’t know a spell or two that’d keep me alive or at least bring me back from the dead, would I?”, he smiled.

 

“So you didn’t die at all? That was another lie?”

 

There was disappointment and heartbreak brewing in his brother’s heart, so he was quick to reply. “I did die. It happened. The spell meant I’d be brought back in hours, but given the strength of the stones, it took me a while longer” He smiled. “Do you believe in fate, brother?”

 

Thor frowned. “I don’t know what I believe anymore.”

 

“Perhaps you should try and guess where I was this entire time.”

 

The God of Thunder looked him in the eyes. Just over his eyebrows, thick ridges circled his forehead below his hairline, and the crown of white flowers glimmered in the warm light of morning. “Jotunheim.”

 

“’Cast out onto a frozen rock’, Father said. Oh, the irony. Lifetimes later, there I am. Barely alive, found lying on the ground by some creature. I suppose my body transformed upon the touch of a Jotunnar at some point, and the markings on my forehead told them I was of royal descent. The Stolið Ung Sinnri. The Stolen Princeling legend the people had heard of for over twenty centuries was home. I was brought before Queen Farbauti, who’d never discovered I was the one that murdered her King and several of her most trusted soldiers. And burned down half the realm with the Bifrost.”

 

“So she kept you alive.”

 

“Not out of affection, of course. When I woke, she was gone, along with Prince Byleipter, leaving me to put up with Helblindi."

 

"The Snap."

 

"Yes. The event of the Hvarf turned half of our population into dust and-”

 

“’Our’ population?”

 

“…Helblindi was king in his mother’s absence. I was ordered to stay by his side as a… prisoner with privileges, I’d say. He was quite smart himself, and quickly caught on to whom he was dealing with. The Mischievous and Evil God of Asgard. Pompous title, no? He wanted me to serve the people I nearly destroyed years prior.”

 

“Wait, so you were the king’s bitch?”, asked the Valkyrie.

 

“ _Norns_ , no. I would have murdered him before he could touch me. I was a counselor.”

 

“Not so bad”, said the other Loki, eating his third bowl of risgrynsgröt. Valkyrie stared. “What? I eat for two!”

 

“What?? Are you-- How-- What?? ” she shrieked. "Actually, do I want to know? No. But how--"

 

“He means he eats a lot, don’t get any funny ideas,” Thor supplied and Loki laughed around a mouthful of the rice pudding.

 

“I was still a prisoner,” old Loki continued, eyeing the pudding with sudden interest but otherwise ignoring the banter. “I admit it wasn’t that bad. It could have been a lot worse had it been Laufey.”

 

“How did you get here?”

 

“An odd group of individuals came to collect the 3 billion unit reward for the Casket of Ancient Winters. Mercenaries. A Halfworlder racoon, a Zen-Whoberian, a rather witty Flora Colossus, a dumb Midgardian and… you.”

 

Thor thought of the other version of himself he’d met in the aftermath of battle, when he’d gone in to save Stark.

 

Loki looked Thor in the eyes, and there was warmth there. Gratitude, perhaps. “You rescued me,” he smirked “among _other things_.”

 

The other Loki’s eyes widened. “What other things?”

 

Long-haired Loki smiled mischievously. “We’re not one to kiss and tell, are we?”

 

“Kiss?” Valkyrie arched her eyebrows. “Oh no, you bedded your own brother!?”

 

“That’s for me to know and you to wonder,” he winked. To Thor he said, “When I learned you had survived it all, I wanted to find you.”

 

“Why??”

 

Loki hesitated.

 

“I mean… There was already a Thor there, is what I mean, and-”

 

“He wasn’t exactly you, was he?” he said and touched his matted hair. There was silence while he touched his long beard and his protruding stomach. It broke his heart how every bit of his brother’s body told him of pain and loneliness. He swallowed a lump in his throat and his voice was a soft whisper, “There is no me without you, is there, Thor?”

 

He could almost see his brother’s breath hitch. He motioned toward his other self and supplied. “He is evidence enough.”

 

The awkward quiet that followed had all of them in deep thoughts.

 

Valkyrie was quick to break it when she clapped her hands together and cleared her throat awkwardly, “Alright, I’m gonna go while you bunch work out this crazy love triangle you got going on. Glad you’re alive, Lucky. I really am,” and left.

 

Thor and older Loki blushed.

 

The other Loki smirked, but his amusement faded when he saw the way the other two were staring at each other, now that they finally had some privacy despite his presence.

 

It was Loki who approached Thor and gently took his hands, and when he lifted his face to meet Thor’s eyes, his long hair swayed just the slightest, jasmine petals falling around him. His voice was quiet and his eyes clear green.

 

“On Rocket’s ship you told me many things I have been unable to forget, that lined with my own feelings of solitude and yearning in Jotunheim. We both know I am not one to speak so openly about sentiment, but I need to know, brother. Was that a different version of you, or do you also… do you…” he scrambled for words, “did you truly miss me, Thor? Did you long for my company? Did- Do you wish…” his words came out with difficulty, his breath caught in his chest as his thoughts set his insides aflame, a thousand butterflies taking flight at once. He was dizzy and every cell in his body begged him to run from this insanity, but he trudged on. “Thor, is it my love you seek as well?”

 

Thor felt his entire body burn, his face flushed all the way to his ears and down his chest. His arms pulled Loki’s body in a hug and buried his face in his hair.

 

“Is that what you want, Loki?”

 

“Is that what you want, brother?”, he echoed.

 

Thor kissed the top of his head, and then his temples. His adorned forehead, his moist cheekbone. The top of his ear, then his hair, shoulder. Every bit was intoxicating, and he had to tame his own will to tangle his fingers in the long fragrant curls. To devour his neck. To kiss him into oblivion. He was on the edge of losing his mind and he hadn’t answered at all.

 

“Yes… Norns, _yes_. Loki...”

 

Ancient dams broke and Loki cried.

Thor’s eyes widened as his limp body held onto him, face hidden as waves of relief washed over him and the weight of a secret locked for long, long years drowned him. The blonde couldn’t remember when he’d last seen his brother cry; not after their mother passed, not ever.

 

“I thought of you and hoped you’d come for me, but you never did. I hated that place and I hated that race. I waited and waited but you never came.”

 

Thor hugged him tight against his chest.

 

“I learned their ways and I dressed like them and I made acquaintances and I… I learned to be Jotun, learned their seidr… Eventually I earned their respect and respected them in return, but I thought of you. And though I did, I gave up. I finally believed you dead, and I buried you. Little by little I died.

 

“One day you showed up on a ship with a talking racoon and a walking tree and a woman that touched me and cried like an infant. You cried, too. Then you handed the Casket in exchange for my life and your friends didn’t get their reward,” he laughed softly. “I suspect the racoon still resents you but nobody said anything because apparently you’d been mumbling about your dead brother for an ungodly amount of time.”

 

Thor snickered. “I bet he’s just waiting for a chance to get back at the other me.”

 

Then Loki’s cold face was held between his hands and he closed his eyes at the sudden and welcome warmth. His brother kissed away every tear and sprinkled kisses over his forehead and cheeks, at last landing on his lips.

 

They stood frozen for an eternity, icy quivering lips on tender ones, chastely touching.

 

There was the unmistakable noise of a door opening and closing with a bang.

 

Younger Loki walked out into the mist of new-asgardian morning, the low clouds dissipating as the temperature rose and the sun shone tepid.

 

He was suddenly in a sour mood, walking over to the Valkyrie to vent. She gently dismissed Loryn, the elderly seamstress, and turned to him. “If you’re here to invite me to whatever ‘celebration’ you and the incestuous brothers plan on doing, I pass,” she snickered at the look of horror Loki gave her, “not your thing either? Strange, I would have guessed you’d just jump right in. What is it, then?”

 

“Are you not in the least aghast by what just happened?”

 

“I… am…” she patronized. “Though not as much as you are, of course.”

 

Loki gaped and waved his arms at the absurdity of it all, at a loss for words. Val thought it amusing.

 

“Are you jealous, Lucky?”

 

“Stop calling me that.”

 

“Aw.”

 

“And no, of course I am not. I’m just… appalled.”

 

“Don’t you wish that was you? At all?”

 

“Goodness, no! Just the thought of it... _No_!”

 

She scoffed. “Okay. Let’s go about our day to get our minds off this mess, shall we?”

 

He didn’t reply but got dragged into party-planning anyway, even if he wasn’t of much use. One had to repeat everything they said or asked him because his mind was still in the cabin, and his hands moved slowly at whatever he did, harvesting odd looks and concerns for his well-being.

 

Valkyrie found herself being kinder than usual, often patting his shoulder only to gain even odder stares from the people. It was all very amusing to her, indeed.

 

 

When Loki returned home at the end of the day, he found his older self draped in his brother’s thick burgundy robe sipping tea and reading a book. It upset him beyond understanding, and he tried to keep his cool when Thor emerged from the bathroom, skin still hot and damp from the shower, the strong smell of fabricated sweetness following in the air around him.

 

He was taken aback when the blonde reached from behind him and enveloped him in an affectionate hug, hands flat against his chest and stomach. Loki felt his face burn, but it was over too soon and Thor was already moving to give his doppelgänger a kiss.

 

“Welcome back, Lo” he cheered and his smile could melt a glacier. “I’ll leave you two to talk. No stabbing.”

 

With that he left, and Loki felt compelled to sit across the other. A steaming cup of this favored brand of tea was gently pushed into his hands. It was both intimidating and intriguing to look at someone so similar to himself, yet he felt they stemmed from completely distinct people.

 

The other Loki seemed to sense this and quietly said between sips, “You and I are not that different.”

 

“Oh, I beg to differ.”

 

“You seem to have changed little from what we were aboard that ship--”

 

“You don’t know me!”

 

“--but I am very pleased to see who you’ve become.”

 

“Oh. But how would you—”

 

“Thor.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Why does it upset you so? I vaguely remember how I felt about Thor five years ago, but I can’t tell if you’re in denial, or jealous, or—”

 

“I am neither!”

 

“Do you suppose I am here to take your place?”

 

To this he had no answer, but his silence suggested enough.

 

Old Loki reached over and took his hand.

 

“I feel uninvited.”

 

“ _I_ am the guest here. This is your home. If you don’t want me here, I’ll stay elsewhere.”

 

“You have really changed.”

 

The other smirked. “Are you disgusted?”

 

He shook his head, _no_.

If anything, he found himself _drawn_ to the man he never thought he could be – gentle, moderate, calm. _Considerate_. He had strived to keep a façade of heartless and evil for so long he believed it, and even if he would never consider himself capable of and would often mock it, he admired the noble of heart. This new Loki touched something inside him he didn’t quite recognize.

 

But the other did.

 

Old Loki raised his eyebrows in understanding. 

“Oh!” he made no attempt to hide his astonishment, “You’re jealous of _Thor_!”

 

He wanted to deny it, but the way he averted his eyes gave him away.

 

He was enamored with _himself_!


End file.
